Expandable bag

ABSTRACT

An expandable bag with purse and tote configurations. The bag includes a body including a purse portion; a sleeve portion with a sleeve opening; and first and second tote rings at opposite edges of the sleeve opening, wherein a first pocket is on a first side and a second pocket is on a second side and a pair of purse rings is in each of the pockets. The bag includes a strap with a strap clip at each end, and a pair of handles with a handle clip at each end. When the bag is in the purse configuration, the sleeve portion is folded inside the purse portion and the handles are attached to each of the pairs of purse rings. When the bag is in the tote configuration, the sleeve portion is folded out from the purse portion and the strap is attached to the tote rings.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a bag, and, more particularly to, an expandable hand bag.

BACKGROUND

It is often difficult to determine at the outset of a trip what size bag might be needed during the course of the trip. Further, purchasing multiple sizes of bags can be expensive and requires storage locations for the bags while they are not in use. Additionally, different types of loads or environments may be best suited to different kinds of straps. While some expandable bags are available, these bags can be cumbersome to operate and/or unattractive.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to an expandable bag that is easy to use and attractive. In an unexpanded configuration, observers may not be aware that the bag is expandable. However, a user may easily convert the bag to an expanded configuration so that the bag may hold more or larger items.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an expandable bag with a purse configuration and a tote configuration. The bag includes a body including a purse portion formed of a first material including a pouch with a pouch opening at the top of the pouch; a sleeve portion formed of a second material including a first end coupled to the pouch opening, a sleeve opening opposite the first end, a first tote ring at a first edge of the sleeve opening, and a second tote ring at a second edge of the sleeve opening opposite the first edge; at least two pockets, wherein a first least two pockets is on a second side of the purse portion opposite the first side; and a pair of purse rings in each of the first and second pockets. The bag further includes a strap including a strap clip at each end of the strap, and a pair of handles each including a handle clip at each end of the handles. When the expandable bag is in the purse configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold inside the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of purse rings. When the expandable bag is in the tote configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold out from the purse portion and one of the strap clips is adapted to be attached to the first tote ring and the other of the strap clips is adapted to be attached to the second tote ring.

The first material may be leather or plastic, and the second material may a woven material. The pouch opening may include a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the purse configuration. The sleeve opening may include at least one snap adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration or a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration. The first and second pockets may each further include a zipper at a top edge.

At least one magnet may be at the sleeve opening and at least one other magnet may be at a corresponding location on the purse portion such that the magnets are attracted to each other when the expandable bag is in the purse configuration such that the sleeve portion is held in position inside the purse portion.

The strap may be adjustable. The tote rings and purse rings may be D-shaped.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an expandable bag with a purse configuration and a tote configuration. The expandable bag includes a body including: a purse portion formed of a first material including a pouch with a pouch opening at the top of the pouch; a sleeve portion formed of a second material including a first end coupled to the pouch opening, a sleeve opening opposite the first end, a first pair of tote rings at a first edge of the sleeve opening, and a pair of second tote rings at a second edge of the sleeve opening opposite the first edge; at least two pockets, wherein a first pocket of the at least two pockets is on a first side of the purse portion and a second pocket of the at least two pockets is on a second side of the purse portion opposite the first side; and a pair of purse rings in each of the first and second pockets. The expandable bag also includes a pair of handles each including a handle clip at each end of the handles. When the expandable bag is in the purse configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold inside the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of purse rings. When the expandable bag is in the tote configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold out from the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of tote rings.

The bag may further include a lining attached to an interior surface of the sleeve portion adjacent to the sleeve opening, wherein the lining extends to an interior closed end of the purse portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a bag in a tote configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bag of HG. 1 in the tote configuration.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the bag of FIG. 1 in the purse configuration.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1 in the purse configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide an expandable bag that may be used in either an unexpanded purse configuration or an expanded tote configuration. The bag may be configured in the purse configuration to transport smaller volumes or in the tote configuration to transport larger volumes. The bag may easily be converted between the purse and tote configurations by detaching handles or a strap from one location, repositioning a sleeve, and reattaching handles or a strap. Further, the bag is visually appealing because an observer would not be able to determine that the bag can be converted to a tote when it is in the purse configuration.

An expandable bag 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. The bag 10 is shown in an unexpanded purse configuration in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in an expanded tote configuration in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bag 10 includes a body 12, and the body 12 includes a purse portion 14 and a sleeve portion 16. In the purse configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sleeve portion 16 has been folded inside the purse portion 14. In the tote configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sleeve portion 16 has been folded out from the purse portion 14 so that the volume that may be contained by the bag 10 is larger than the volume that may be contained by the bag 10 when it is in the purse configuration.

The bag 10 further includes two pockets 22, where one pocket is on each side of the bag 10. The pockets 22 may be opened and closed with a zipper 24, or other similar fastener, at a top edge of each pocket 22. Two purse rings 46, which may be D-shaped rings, are attached to the bag 10 inside each of the pockets. These purse rings 46 may be located at opposite sides of a top portion of the pockets 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the bag 10 is in the purse configuration, the zipper 24 is opened and a handle 42 may be attached to the bag 10 at the two purse rings 46 in each of the pockets 22 via a handle clip 44, which may be a spring clip or any other suitable type of clip, at each end of the handle 42. Here, the sleeve portion 16 is folded inside the purse portion 14. Now, the bag 10 may be utilized by the user as a purse for transporting loads with smaller volumes. The user may access the interior 50 of the bag 10 by opening a zipper 18 located at a top edge of the purse portion 14, and may secure contents in the interior 50 of the bag 10 by closing the zipper 18. When the user is not transporting the bag 10, the bag 10 may rest on a bottom 42 of the bag 10.

In embodiments of the present invention, the bag 10 may also have a liner 40, which may protect the interior of the bag 10, protect the contents of the bag 10, and augment the visual appeal of the interior of the bag 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the bag 10 is in the tote configuration, the handles 42 may be removed from the purse rings 46, and then the purse rings 46 may be positioned in the pockets 22 so that the zipper 24 may be closed to hide the purse rings 46 from view. The sleeve portion 16 may be folded out from the purse portion 14. Once the sleeve portion 16 is folded out from the purse portion 14, a strap 32 may be attached to tote rings 30, which may be D-shaped rings, on opposite ends of the bag 10 via strap clips 34, which may be spring clips, located on opposite ends of the strap 32. The user may now transport a larger volume in an interior 50 of the bag 10.

In embodiments of the present invention, a sleeve opening 20 of the sleeve portion 16 may be fastened with a fastener, such as a zipper or one or more snaps, to secure the contents of the bag 10.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the strap 32 may be adjustable. For example, the strap 32 may have a sliding fastener 36 that may be slid along the length of the strap 32 to either shorten or lengthen a doubled portion of the strap 32 to shorten or lengthen the total length of the strap 32.

In other embodiments, another set of rings 28 may be at a top portion of the sleeve portion 16 so that the handles 42, instead of or in addition to the strap 32, may be repositioned to the top portion of the sleeve portion 16 so that the user may carry the bag 10 via the handles 42 rather than the strap 32.

Both the purse portion 14 and the sleeve portion 16 of the bag 10 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as leather, a woven fabric, plastic, rubber, or vinyl. In one embodiment, the purse portion 14 is constructed of leather, and the sleeve portion 16 is constructed of a woven fabric.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is at least one magnet located near the sleeve opening 20 and at least one other magnet at a corresponding location inside the purse portion 14 such that the magnets are attracted to each other when the bag 10 is in the purse configuration. Here, the sleeve portion 16 will be held in position inside the purse portion 14 so that it is out of the way of the user when the bag 10 is in the purse configuration.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the strap 32 and/or the handles 42 may be stored inside the bag 10 when they are not in use. In other embodiments, a pocket in the interior 50 of the bag 10 is adapted to contain the strap 32 and/or handles 42 when they are not in use.

Appendix A shows photographs of exemplary embodiments of the expandable bag of the present invention, and the entire content of Appendix A is incorporated by reference.

While this invention has been described in connection with what are considered to be exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, dimensions, and configurations, but, on the contrary, also extends to various modifications and equivalent arrangements. The invention is limited only by the claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An expandable bag with a purse configuration and a tote configuration comprising: a body comprising: a purse portion formed of a first material comprising a pouch with a pouch opening at the top of the pouch; a sleeve portion formed of a second material comprising a first end coupled to the pouch opening, a sleeve opening opposite the first end, a first tote ring at a first edge of the sleeve opening, and a second tote ring at a second edge of the sleeve opening opposite the first edge; at least two pockets, wherein a first pocket of the at least two pockets is on a first side of the purse portion and a second pocket of the at least two pockets is on a second side of the purse portion opposite the first side; and a pair of purse rings in each of the first and second pockets; a strap comprising a strap clip at each end of the strap; a pair of handles each comprising a handle clip at each end of the handles, wherein, when the expandable bag is in the purse configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold inside the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of purse rings, and wherein, when the expandable bag is in the tote configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold out from the purse portion and one of the strap clips is adapted to be attached to the first tote ring and the other of the strap clips is adapted to be attached to the second tote ring.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the first material is leather or plastic.
 3. The bag of claim 1, wherein the second material is a woven material.
 4. The bag of claim 1, wherein the pouch opening comprises a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the purse configuration.
 5. The bag of claim 1, wherein the sleeve opening comprises at least one snap adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration.
 6. The bag of claim 1, wherein the sleeve opening comprises a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration.
 7. The bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second pockets each further comprise a zipper at a top edge.
 8. The bag of claim 1, wherein at least one magnet is at the sleeve opening and at least one other magnet is at a corresponding location on the purse portion such that the magnets are . attracted to each other when the expandable bag is in the purse configuration such that the sleeve portion is held in position inside the purse portion.
 9. The bag of claim 1, wherein the strap is adjustable.
 10. The bag of claim 1, wherein the tote rings and purse rings are D-shaped.
 11. An expandable bag with a purse configuration and a tote configuration comprising: a body comprising: a purse portion formed of a first material comprising a pouch with a pouch opening at the top of the pouch; a sleeve portion formed of a second material comprising a first end coupled to the pouch opening, a sleeve opening opposite the first end, a first pair of tote rings at a first edge of the sleeve opening, and a pair of second tote rings at a second edge of the sleeve opening opposite the first edge; at least two pockets, wherein a first pocket of the at least two pockets is on a first side of the purse portion and a second pocket of the at least two pockets is on a second side of the purse portion opposite the first side; and a pair of purse rings in each of the first and second pockets; a pair of handles each comprising a handle clip at each end of the handles, wherein, when the expandable bag is in the purse configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold inside the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of purse rings, and wherein, when the expandable bag is in the tote configuration, the sleeve portion is adapted to fold out from the purse portion and the handle clips of each of the handles are adapted to be attached to each of the pairs of tote rings.
 12. The bag of claim 1, wherein the first material is leather or plastic.
 13. The bag of claim 11, wherein the second material is a woven material.
 14. The bag of claim 11, wherein the pouch opening comprises a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the purse configuration.
 15. The bag of claim 11, wherein the sleeve opening comprises at least one snap adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration.
 16. The bag of claim 11, wherein the sleeve opening comprises a zipper adapted to close the expandable bag when in the tote configuration:
 17. The bag of claim 11, wherein the first and second pockets each further comprise a zipper at a top edge.
 18. The bag of claim 11, wherein at least one magnet is at the sleeve opening and at least one other magnet is at a corresponding location on the purse portion such that the magnets are attracted to each other when the expandable bag is in the purse configuration such that the sleeve portion is held in position inside the purse portion.
 19. The bag of claim 11 further comprising a lining attached to an interior surface of the sleeve portion adjacent to the sleeve opening, wherein the lining extends to an interior closed end of the purse portion.
 20. The bag of claim 11, wherein the tote rings and purse rings are D-shaped. 